West Shrine Team defense ready from Day 1

Dillon head coach Rick Nordahl is used to leading championship-caliber defenses, but even he is excited to watch his West Team go to work at the Shrine Game on Saturday in Billings.

“We have a great bunch of athletes on the defensive side,” he said. “And just their overall knowledge of the game, they’re really creating havoc over on that side.”

If this week of practices is any indication of how the game will go this weekend, the West’s defense should be a force. The ‘havoc’ that Nordahl mentioned begins up front with a solid foundation on the defensive line, anchored by the huge defensive ends Ty Morgan of Ennis and Cooper Christensen of Twin Bridges, both of whom played 8-man football during their high school careers.

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“It’s a lot of fun to coach those guys,” said Brett Nordahl, who is coaching the defensive line. “Not only are they big, but they have motors — they just don’t quit. They keep going at the quarterback, attacking that offensive line, and really making [the offense] work for everything they get.”

The defense is incredibly talented, but what is pushing them to the next level is going up against a gifted offense all week.

“This is a team sport and competition makes you better,” Rick Nordahl said. “This offense, they’ve really come a long ways, and they present a lot of challenges with the athletes that they have over there.”

The two sides have challenged each other throughout the week, and, with practices now over, the progress will be measured when the two sides hit the field to take on the East at Herb Klindt Field at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Damon Turbitt, the sports reporter for KXLF in Butte, is a sports fanatic hailing from New England. He loves to both play and report on any sport, from the basketball court to the tennis court. He has made a long trip to Butte, but Montana's passion for sports at all levels, paired with the beautiful terrain, has made for a seamless transition.
He is a fan of the outdoors and has been blown away by the beautiful terrain the Treasure State has to offer.